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Sidney Crosby | C
Evgeni Malkin | C
Jeff Carter
ON-ICE VALUE
Middle-Six Forward
STRENGTHS
Shot: Carter has a heavy wrist shot that he’s happy to unleash from nearly anywhere in the offensive zone. It isn’t the most accurate wrister around, but he possesses the velocity to score from distance all the same. He’s a solid finisher on the backhand as well. With that said, he basically never takes slap shots.
Skating: At 6’3” and 219 pounds, he’s a rangy and swift-skating forward who can fly through the neutral zone if he sniffs any daylight. Thanks to his wheels, he’s dangerous on the rush and fairly disruptive on the backcheck. His physical tools are tremendous.
Versatility: Though he began his career as a center, he’s played plenty of wing and can seamlessly switch between the positions. This is particularly useful for right-side faceoffs. He’s also reasonably effective on the penalty kill, where his reach and skating allow him to cover a ton of ground.
WEAKNESSES
Defense: As he nears his late thirties, his level of intensity on the defensive end has vanished. He has the tools to remain a serviceable two-way presence, but these days, he tends to save his energy for the offensive side of the puck. He’s often outworked in puck battles and doesn’t support his defensemen as well as he should.
Shot Selection: Since he can score from anywhere, he has the bad habit of shooting from anywhere on a regular basis. He’ll waste possessions by flinging long-distance bids on goal instead of involving his teammates and setting up a higher-quality look.
